Sno-throw and pavement cleaner combination

ABSTRACT

The pavement cleaner of the present invention comprises a housing, a brush assembly, and a snow thrower. The housing includes a pair of sidewalls, an endwall, and a topwall, which are operable to form substantially a rectangular box. The housing includes a pair of wheels, each disposed on suitable journaled axle means distally from the terminal end opposite the endwall at the lower terminal edge of each of the respective sidewalls. The housing is provided with a trailing wheel disposed centrally from the endwall on a suitable bracket, the wheel being journaled for rotation and operable to provide dirigible means for the pavement cleaner. A handle, having a pair of bracing bars, is fastened on the sidewalls distally from the endwall. The brush assembly includes a multiplicity of outwardly projecting bristles fastened on a suitable axle. The axle is carried in bearings mounted in vertically disposed slots in each of the sidewalls. The axle is set in rotating motion by means of a suitable drive train. The brush assembly includes a pan having a substantially rectangular bottom wall, a pair of sidewalls fastened upstandingly to the terminal side of the bottom wall, and an endwall fastened upstandingly to the bottom wall and the sidewalls. The pan is operable to be detachably fastened within the housing at its end opposite the endwall. The brush assembly includes a deflector operable to guide material from the bristles into the pan. The pavement cleaner may include a snow thrower including a pan. The pan is provided with a portion convexly curved with respect to the housing and a pair of side deflector walls fastened at each end of the curved portion. The pan is operable to closely conform to the transverse configuration of the end opposite the housing endwall. The snow thrower includes a blade fastened on a suitable axle. The axle is carried on journal bearings which are fastened to the deflector walls. The blade and axle are set in rotating motion by means of a suitable drive train.

United States Patent Schultz 1 July 31, 1973 SNO-THROW AND PAVEMENT CLEANER COMBINATION [76] Inventor: Donald W. Schultz, 12724 E.

Sprague, Opportunity, Wash. 99216 22 Filed: Feb. 11, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 225,462

[52] US. Cl 15/4, 15/79, 37/43 D, 37/43 L [51] Int. Cl E0lh 6/00 [58] Field of Search 15/79, 82, 83, 4; 37/43 R, 43 A, 43 B, 43 C, 43 D, 43 E, 43 F, 43 G, 43 L [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 552,887 1/1896 Branth 15/79 1,043,533 ll/l9l2 Nolan ct al. 15/79 X 1,448,385 3/1923 Bryant 15/79 2,136,676 l1/l938 Davis 15/83 2,712,211 7/1955 Smith et 2.1.... 37/43 D 3,087,180 4/1963 Webster 15/79 Primary ExaminerEdward L'. Roberts Attorney-John W. Kraft [57] ABSTRACT The pavement cleaner of the present invention comprises a housing, a brush assembly, and a snow thrower. The housing includes a pair of sidewalls, an endwall, and a topwall, which are operable to form substantially a rectangular box. The housing includes a pair of wheels, each disposed on suitable journaled axle means distally from the terminal end opposite the endwall at the lower terminal edge of each of the respective sidewalls. The housing is provided with a trailing wheel disposed centrally from the endwall on a suitable bracket, the wheel being journaled for rotation and operable to provide dirigible means for the pavement cleaner. A handle, having a pair of bracing bars, is fastened on the sidewalls distally from the endwall. The brush assembly includes a multiplicity of outwardly projecting bristles fastened on a suitable axle. The axle is carried in bearings mounted in vertically disposed slots in each of the sidewalls. The axle is set in rotating motion by means of a suitable drive train. The brush assembly includes a pan having a substantially rectangular bottom wall, a pair of sidewalls fastened upstandingly to the terminal side of the bottom wall, and an endwall fastened upstandingly to the bottom wall and the sidewalls. The pan is operable to be detachablyfastened within the housing at its end opposite the endwall. The brush assembly includes a deflector operable to guide material from the bristles into the pan. The pavement cleaner may include a snow thrower including a pan. The pan is provided with a portion convexly curved with respect to the housing and a pair of side deflector walls fastened at each end of the curved portion. The pan is operable to closely conform to the transverse configuration of the end opposite the housing endwall. The snow thrower includes a blade fastened on a suitable axle. The axleis carried on journal bearings which are fastened to the deflector walls. The blade and axle are set in rotating motion by means of a suitable drive train.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATIENHED I975 3. 748.675

FIG. I

.FIG. 2

SNO-THROW AND PAVEMENT CLEANER COMBINATION FIELD OF INVENTION The pavement cleaner and snow thrower of this invention relates to mechanical sweepers'and, more particularly, to mechanical sweepers provided with storage means to collect material from the sweeper.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Mechanical sweepers, commonly used and employed in the art, have comprised various arrangements of bristles disposed in a shaft set in motion by any of a variety of power sources. These sweepers may be provided with dust collecting means, such as bins, bags, and the like. However, these commonly are included on large-scale machines, such as street sweepers. Mechanical sweepers used and employed on smaller jobs do not include dust collecting means.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide mechanical sweeper means operable for use in small-scale jobs, such as sidewalks and the like.

It is a further object of this invention to provide dust collecting means which may collect material thrown up by the sweeper.

It is another object of this invention to provide snow throwing means which may be carried on the chassis of this invention and may be powered by the power source thereof.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the description following, it being understood that modifications may be made without affecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally, the pavement cleaner of the present invention comprises a housing, a brush assembly, and a snow thrower. The housing includes a pair of sidewalls, an endwall, and a topwall, which are operable to form substantially a rectangular box. The housing includes a pair of wheels, each disposed on suitable journaled axle means distally from the terminal end opposite the endwall at the lower terminal edge of each of the respective sidewalls. The housing is provided with atrailing wheel disposed centrally from the endwall on a suitable bracket, the wheel being journaled for rotation and operable to provide dirigible means for the pavement cleaner. A handle, having a pair of bracing bars, is fastened on the sidewalls distally from the endwall. The brush assembly includes a multiplicity of outwardly projecting bristles fastened on a suitable axle. The axle is carried in bearings mounted in vertically disposed slots in each of the sidewalls. The axle is set in rotating motion by means ofa suitable drive train. The brush assembly includes a pan having a substantially rectangular bottom wall, a pair of sidewalls fastened upstandingly to the terminal side of the bottom wall, and an endwall fastened upstandingly to the bottom wall and the sidewalls. The pan is operable to be detachably fastened within the housing at its end opposite the endwall. The brush assembly includes a deflector operable to guide material from the bristles into the pan. The pavement cleaner may include a snow thrower including a pan. The pan is provided with a portion convexly curved with respect to the housing and a pair of side deflector walls fastened at each end of the curved portion. The pan is operable to closely conform to the transverse configuration of the end opposite the housing endwall. The snow thrower includes a blade fastened on a suitable axle. The axle is carried on journal bearings which are fastened to the deflector walls. The blade and axle are set in rotating motion by means of a suitable drive train.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had fromthe detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a right side elevational view of this invention with a portion of the exterior sidewall removed showing the interior configuration for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view including portions of the top exterior wall removed showing the interior configuration of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a left side elevational view of the pavement cleaner of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary right front perspective view of the snow discharging end of the snow thrower assembly of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a right rear perspective view of the refuse pan of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a left front perspective view of the snow thrower apparatus of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the combination pavement cleaner and snow thrower of this invention is shown to advantage and identified by the numeral 10. The pavement cleaner 10 includes a housing 1 l, a drive train 12, and a brush assembly '13. The housing 11 is provided with a pair of upstandingly disposed sidewalls 15, a rearward terminal endwall 16, and a topwall 17 to form a rectangular box operable to carry the drive train 12 and the brush assembly 13. The housing 11 is carried on a pair of wheels 18 disposed at the lowermost terminal edge, at each of the terminal sides, distally from the forwardmost terminal end of the housing 11, and is carried by a trailing wheel 19 disposed centrally from the rearwardmost terminal wall 16. The wheels 18 are mounted on the housing 1 l by means of journaled axle means 20, as shown more clearly in the FIGS. 1 and 3. The trailing wheel 19 is mounted on a suitable, upstandingly disposed, bracket 21. The bracket 21 is provided with crank-actuated adjusting means 22 to raise and lower the rearward terminal end of the housing 11 with respect to its forward terminal end. The trailing wheel 19 is mounted to the bracket 2] by an axle means 23 which is operable to permit rotation of the wheel 19 on its central axis and to permit the wheel 19 to pivot for steering the pavement cleancrl0. The housing 11 is provided with a rearwardly projecting handle 24 fastened at the rearward portion of each of the sidewalls 15. The handle 24 includes a bar-like handle 25 and a pair of rearwardly disposed handle bracing bars 26. The bars 26 are fastened distally above the lowermost terminal edge of the sidewalls 15 and are inclined upwardly from that point to operably position the bar-like handle 25 distally from the rearwardmost terminal end of the housing 11 at a level above the ground which is convenient for an operator. The brac ing bars 26 may be pivotally fastened at their lowermost terminal ends to the sidewalls l5, and may be held in their inclined position by means of a pair of upstandingly, fixedly mounted retaining rings 27. The bracing bars 26 may be fastened at each of the terminal ends of the bar-like handle 25. The bar 25 may include a suitable handle grip 25 to provide a resilient pad over the bar 25.

Referring to the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the drive train 12 includes an engine 28, a belt subassembly 29, and a clutch 30. The engine '28 is a commonly known gasoline engine which may be suitably mounted to one side of the uppermost terminal side of the topwall 17. The throttle 31 of the engine 28 may include a extendible linkage handle 31 suitably mounted on the handle 24 operable to provide convenient control means to the operator of the pavement cleaner 10. The brush assembly 13 is driven by means of a suitably ratioed belt subassembly 29. The drive shaft 32 of the engine 28 is provided with a suitable pulley 33. The brush assembly 13 includes a shaft portion 34 which projects outwardly from one of the sidewalls 15. The shaft 34 is provided with a suitable pulley 35. The ratio of the pulley 33 to the pulley 35 is determined by a preselected speed of the brush assembly 13 in the most efficient torque range of the engine 28. The pulley 33 is connected to the pulley 35 by means of a belt 36. The length of the belt 36 is distally longer than the simple belt length taken between the pulley 33 and the pulley 35. The belt 36 must be drawn tightly over the pulley 33 and the pulley 35. This may be accomplished by means of the clutch 30.

The clutch 30 includes a bracket arm37 and a linkage arm 38. The bracket arm 37 is totally mounted on a suitable pivot pin 39. The pivot pin 39 is suitably fastened in the sidewall sidewalls distally forward of the central axis defined by the centers of the pulleys 33 and 35. The bracket arm 37 is fastened distally from its midpoint on the pin 39. The linkage arm 38 is pivotally fastened at its terminal end to the rearwardmost terminal end of the bracket arm 37. The linkage arm 38 is carried at its rearwardmost terminal end by means of a bracket 40. The bracket 40 is provided with a centrally disposed receiving portion 40 operable to slidably carry the linkage arm 38. At the pivotal connection between the linkage arm 38 and the bracket arm 37 there is disposed a suitable pulley 4l.In operation the linkage arm 38 may be pushed forwardly thus causing the bracket arm 37 to pivot on the pivot pin 39 and to dispose the pulley 41 forwardly and substantially downwardly. The pulley 41 is operable to engagethe interior edge of the belt 36 and to pull it taut on the pulleys 33 and 35. The linkage arm 38 may be held in position by means of a suitable locking means, such as a pivotally mounted lever 42. The lever 42 is pivotally mounted adjacent the linkage arm 38 on the bracket 40. It is to be understood that the clutch means 30, here described, may be any of a variety of other, commonly known, clutch means.

Referring now to the FIGS. 1 and 2, the brush assembly 13 includes brush bristles 43 suitably fastened to the transversely disposed shaft 34. The shaft 34 is carried at each of its terminal ends by means of commonly known friction-reducing journal bearings 34 disposed in the lower portion of the respective sidewalls 15. As shown by the FIGS. 1 and 3, the journal bearings are disposed in suitable, vertically disposed, slots 44. In operation, the bristles 43 are caused to turn on the shaft 34 by means of the drive train 12, as set out above. The slots 44 provide shock absorbing means to the bristles 43 and the shaft 34 in response to abrupt changes in terrain. The brush assembly 13 includes a refuse pan 45. The pan 45 is intended to provide a collector means for the pavement cleaner 10. The pan 45 is disposed at the forwardmost portion of the housing 11. As shown more clearly in the FIG. 5, the pan 45 comprises a substantially rectangular bottom wall 46, a pair of sidewalls 47 fastened upstandingly at each of the terminal sides of the bottom wall 46, and an endwall 48 fastened upstandingly to the bottom wall 46 and the sidewalls 47. The sidewalls 47 and the endwall 48 are operable to slidably engage the forwardmost terminal end of the housing 11. The endwall 48 is configured to completely close the forward end of the housing 11. It has been found to advantage to downwardly incline the sidewalls 47 from the endwall engaging end to the forward terminal end. It has also been found to advantage to provide a small curved return portion along the forward edge of the bottom wall 46 to provide a basin to retain dirt as the refuse pan 45 is being removed from the housing 11. The refuse pan 45 is fastened to the forward terminal ends of the sidewalls 15 by means of bolts 50, shown more clearly in the FIGS. 1 and 2. The bottom portion of the housing 11 is provided with a deflector 51, shown more clearly in the FIG. 1. In operation, as the bristles 43 and the shaft 34 rotate, dirt particles are thrown by the bristles 43 on to the deflector 51 and into the refuse pan 45.

Referring to the FIG. 4, the pavement cleaner 10 may include a snow thrower means 52. The snow thrower means 52 is intended to be disposed at the forwardmost terminal end of the housing 11. As shown by the FIG. 6, the snow thrower means 52 includes a pan 53, a blade 54, and a pulley 55. The pan 53 includes a portion 56 convexly curved with respect to the housing 11 which is operable to closely conform to the transverse configuration of the end portion of the housing 1 l. The snow thrower means 52 includes a pair of inwardly inclined deflector plates 57 fastened at each of the terminal edges of the concaved portion 56. The deflectors 57 are operable to close the curved portion 56 and to deflect snow toward the blade 54. The blade 54 is a transversely disposed paddle distally smaller than the geometric diameter of the curved pan 53, and is fastened to a suitable axle means 58 carried transversely on suitable journal bearings. The blade 54 has a curved configuration operable to throw collected materials at angles to the path of the cleaner 10. The blade 54, set in operation, is operable to throw snow forwardly and to one side of the path of the cleaner 10. The blade 54 and axle 58 rotate in response to the drive train 12. The axle means 58 is provided with a suitable pulley 55. The belt 36 is disposed over the pulleys 55,33 and 41. The pulley belt 36 is drawn tightly onto the pulleys 33 and by pulling the linkage 38 and the pulley 41 rearwardly. The pulley belt 36 may be loosened and the snow thrower means 52 may be stopped by pushing the linkage 38 and the pulley 41 forwardly. It is to be understood that the adjusting means 22 of the trailing wheel 19 may be used to selectively control the proximity of the lower terminal edge of the pan 53.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies the concepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes the various objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes could be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pavement cleaner, comprising a housing including a pair of sidewalls, an endwall, and a topwall forming a substantially rectangular box having an opening at the end opposite said endwall; a pair of wheels journaled for rotation on axle means distally disposed from the end opposite said endwall at the lowermost terminal edge of each of the respective sidewalls of said housing; a dirigiblc trailing wheel pivotally mounted and journaled for rotation on a bracket centrally disposed on said endwall of said housing between said sidewalls; and a handle having a pair of rearwardly disposed handle bracing bars fastened on said sidewalls distally from said endwall, said handle having a bar-like handle fastened to said bracing bars at their respective ends opposite said sidewall connection;

a brush assembly including a multiplicity of outwardly projecting bristles fastened on a shaft, said shaft being carried in suitable journal bearings slidably mounted in vertically disposed slots in said sidewalls of said housing, said shaft being rotatably moved in response to movement of said wheels in communication with a drive train interconnected with said shaft; a pan having a substantially rectangular bottom wall, a pair of upstanding pan sidewalls fastened to the terminal sides of said bottom wall, and an upstanding pan endwall fastened to said bottom wall and to said pan sidewalls, said pan being operable to slidably engage opening in said housing at its end opposite said housing endwall to close said housing, and being operable to be detachably fastened to said housing; and a deflector operable to guide material from said bristles into said pan; and

snow thrower means including a thrower pan, said thrower pan having an end portion being convex with respect to said housing and a pair of side deflector walls fastened at opposite sides to each end of said portion, said thrower pan being the transverse configuration of the end opposite said endwall in said housing, said thrower pan having means operable to detachably fasten said snow thrower means to said housing; and a blade disposed within said thrower pan, said blade having a diameter distally smaller than said thrower pan, said blade being fastened to a axle means, said axle means being carried on suitable journal bearings fastened to said deflector plates, said blade and said axle means being being rotatably moved in response to movement of said wheels in communication with a suitable drive train interconnected with said axle means. 7

able to raise and to lower the rearward terminal end of said housing in response to rotation of said crank adjusting means 

1. A pavement cleaner, comprising a housing including a pair of sidewalls, an endwall, and a topwall forming a substantially rectangular box having an opening at the end opposite said endwall; a pair of wheels journaled for rotation on axle means distally disposed from the end opposite said endwall at the lowermost terminal edge of each of the respective sidewalls of said housing; a dirigible trailing wheel pivotally mounted and journaled for rotation on a bracket centrally disposed on said endwall of said housing between said sidewalls; and a handle having a pair of rearwardly disposed handle bracing bars fastened on said sidewalls distally from said endwall, said handle having a barlike handle fastened to said bracing bars at their respective ends opposite said sidewall connection; a brush assembly including a multiplicity of outwardly projecting bristles fastened on a shaft, said shaft being carried in suitable journal bearings slidably mounted in vertically disposed slots in said sidewalls of said housing, said shaft being rotatably moved in response to movement of said wheels in communication with a drive train interconnected with said shaft; a pan having a substantially rectangular bottom wall, a pair of upstanding pan sidewalls fastened to the terminal sides of said bottom wall, and an upstanding pan endwall fastened to said bottom wall and to said pan sidewalls, said pan being operable to slidably engage opening in said housing at its end opposite said housing endwall to close said housing, and being operable to be detachably fastened to said housing; and a deflector operable to guide material from said bristles into said pan; and a snow thrower means including a thrower pan, said thrower pan having an end portion being convex with respect to said housing and a pair of side deflector walls fastened at opposite sides to each end of said portion, said thrower pan being the transverse configuration of the end opposite said endwall in said housing, said thrower pan having means operable to detachably fasten said snow thrower means to said housing; and a blade disposed within said thrower pan, said blade having a diameter distally smaller than said thrower pan, said blade being fastened to a axle means, said axle means being carried on suitable journal bearings fastened to said deflector plates, said blade and said axle means being being rotatably moved in response to movement of said wheels in communication with a suitable drive train interconnected with said axle means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said trailing wheel includes a crank actuated adjusting means operable to raise and to lower the rearward terminal end of said housing in response to rotation of said crank adjusting means. 